Cedar Gorge is getting funded and can trees limit landfill leaks?

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
·3 min read

$4.5 million in federal funding to go toward conservation projects including Cedar Gorge in Ozaukee County

  • Five conservation projects previously rejected for funding by the Wisconsin Legislature received a combined $4.5 million in funding, under a move by Gov. Tony Evers to use COVID-relief money. The funding, announced Thursday, will allow five projects to move forward: the Cedar Gorge Clay Bluffs preserve outside Port Washington, Milwaukee Public Schools outdoor spaces, Caroline Lake Preserve in Ashland County, Sand Creek in Bayfield County and land in Forest County.

  • "Today's investments will support continued sustainable forest management, wildlife management, habitat protection, and of course, increase outdoor public recreation," DNR Secretary Preston Cole said. "Today, everybody across Wisconsin is a winner."

  • Tom Stolp, executive director of the Land Trust, said the funding for the park was "nothing short of heroic." "Here in southeast Wisconsin, where millions of people live, over a quarter of our state's population is within about a half-hour drive of this nature preserve," Stolp said. "Obviously this is really important, access to the outdoors for all Wisconsin residents."

A first-of-its-kind experiment using lab-bred trees seeks to stop pollution leaks from old landfills in Wisconsin

  • The perfectly spaced rows of trees between the old Boundary Road Landfill and Boundary Road in Menomonee Falls aren't there to keep your eyes off of the land, or to pretty up the space, though they do have that effect. They are actually doing much more important work — pulling up contamination from the old landfill, as it moves with run-off and groundwater, and breaking the chemicals down or sequestering them inside their branches or leaves.

  • The trees are all variations of poplar, willows or conifers, all selected for their abilities to take up certain types of contaminants, such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, pesticides or even industrial byproducts. After several growing seasons, the trees now stretch into the sky, taking up more and more potentially contaminated water each year.

  • The Boundary Road Landfill, once operated by Waste Management, is part of a large experiment spanning the Lake Michigan and Lake Superior watersheds, hoping to find out how many contaminants the trees can capture and potentially remediate as they leak out of old landfills, in a process known as phytoremediation.

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The Money

SAUKVILLE: After years of planning, Saukville officials have approved the largest development project in the village's history. Northern Gateway will include new work opportunities, green space, a hotel and over 500 residential units.

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The Games

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Today's Weather

After a perfect week, the weekend could be wet with chances of rain Friday night through Sunday. A high of 84 Friday.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Cedar Gorge is getting funded and can trees limit landfill leaks?